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Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

Alleged beating of prison escapees in 2012

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, October 30, 2015) – Three Fiji police officers and a soldier who have been charged in connection with the 2012 beating of two prison escapees have been granted bail.

A video of the beating was leaked online in 2013 and showed uniformed security personnel beating two handcuffed men in the back of a pick-up truck.

The four suspects were arrested last week and charged with sexual assault following a protracted investigation which had once been closed before it was re-opened.

They appeared in court at Nasinu Magistrates' Court today where they were granted bail on strict conditions after producing two sureties each.

The matter has been adjourned until December the 2nd.

A fifth suspect, Pita Matairavula, has...

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

Tension between advocacy and purportedly exaggerating abuse

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, November 2, 2015) – The head of Save the Children Australia says the charity has been treated as a scapegoat by the Australian and Nauru governments during its time at the asylum seeker detention centre.

The charity wound up its operations on Nauru on Saturday, after the Australian government granted the welfare contract to the multinational, Transfield Services.

Its tenure has been controversial, with Canberra last year deporting nine workers after they were accused of encouraging detainees to self harm and fabricate stories of abuse.

An independent inquiry later found no evidence of this.

The charity has since been subject to police raids on Nauru.

Save the Children's chief executive,...

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

One purported option, no official gov response

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, October 31, 2015) – Australia's government is refusing to comment on reports that it is considering resettling refugees detained in Nauru and Papua New Guinea in the central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan.

The Australian reported that the country was on a list of nations Canberra was considering sending refugees to.

It said other former Soviet republics were also being considered for resettlement, but no deals had yet been struck.

Australia's finance minister Mathias Cormann refused to confirm or deny the reports in an interview with Sky News, saying the government was speaking with a number of countries regarding resettlement, and would not comment until it was "in a position to do so".

Asylum seekers who...

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

Ministers seek to balance econ growth with sustainable dev

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, October 31, 2015) – Pacific trade ministers have agreed to double their efforts to conclude the regional PACER Plus free trade agreement.

The announcement came at the end of the Pacific Islands Forum Trade Minister meeting in Rarotonga, which was attended by representatives from 14 Pacific countries plus Australia and New Zealand.

The ministers also agreed to intensify consultations with civil society and public sector organisations to try and enhance Pacific countries' presence in international trade.

The meeting aimed to enhance Pacific regionalism by creating an environment conducive for trade, economic growth and development, while acknowledging the need for climate change adaptation and sustainable...